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Bodybuilding

The Anabolic Doc Full Interview | Realities Of Steroids, Synthol, And Other PEDs In Bodybuilding

by Derek Dufour Updated by GI Team on May 31, 2023

The Anabolic Doc Dr. Thomas O'Connor
This post may contain affiliate links (disclosure policy).

Watch the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with The Anabolic Doc.

Dr. Thomas O’Connor has appeared in a selection of our Generation Iron original films over the years. This is due to the fact that he is a doctor that bridges the gap between muscle and medicine. He was strength athlete in his past, he has taken steroids, and he now has a medical license to treat people for after effects of long term steroid use. For this reason, he’s known as The Anabolic Doc.

That’s why we decided to sit down with him for an extensive interview going into detail all health aspects of bodybuilding. He sort of bridges the gap between the knowledge of medical science into the experience of what it actually takes to be a bodybuilder or strength athlete. Dr. Thomas O’Connor has explained in detail what he expects to come for bodybuilding guru’s.

Over the past few months we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with the Anabolic Doc. Now we’re releasing the full length interview including topics such as the health risks of steroids, the realities of synthol abuse, and if it’s easy to cheat drug tests – among other topics.


Listen To Our Anabolic Doc Interview On The Generation Iron Podcast

Our full length interviews are now also in podcast form! Subscribe to the Generation Iron Podcast for candid, full length interviews with the biggest names in bodybuilding, fitness, combat, and strength sports.

Listen to the full Anabolic Doc interview here:


There Is NO Safe Way To Use Steroids For Bodybuilding

What Dr. O’Connor won’t accept, is lies about the dangers of steroids. He won’t sit and let people believe that steroids are actually “not that bad” for your health. He makes it plain and clear – long term steroid use will have permanent effects on your heath. It will lower your testosterone to the point where it might never come back. This leads to needing testosterone replacement therapy (or TRT) for the rest of a person’s life. It can lead to enlarged arteries and enlarged hearts. This can then in turn lead to heart disease and death.

Dr. O’Connor will never step down from detailing the truly dangerous risks of steroids. But he leaves the decision to use up to the athlete afterwards. Just like cigarettes, people will make their own decision on how they want to handle long term health.

With all of that being said, we wanted Dr. O’Connor to clear the air. Is it possible to safely use steroids in bodybuilding at all? Is there some sort of tips or protocol that can help prevent these long term dangers of use?

The Anabolic Doc’s answer is a simple one. No. Each body is different. Each drug has different effects on different users. Some people might make it out clean – but that’s not due to a specific way of use. It’s due to luck. There is no medical way to condone the use of steroids safely for sports like bodybuilding. Dr. O’Connor believes that the research shows it’s simply impossible.

Realities Of What Happens After Synthol Use

Dr. Thomas O’Connor is a doctor who deals specifically with steroid users. That’s why he’s called the Anabolic Doc. So of course in his time treating patients he’s also ran past individuals who have used synthol or other site enhancement oils on their physiques. He admits it’s very rare – but it has happened on occasion.

We often see the results of using these kinds of oils on a bodybuilding physique. The freaks with bulging inhuman fake muscles or even more well trained bodybuilders with strange shaped peaks on certain muscles. But what happens to these people in the long term after injecting oils into their body? What are the actual health risks? How does the body absorb sythol after it expands in their body? Does it absorb it at all? These are all questions we wanted to ask Dr. O’Connor. As you can imagine, the answer isn’t pretty.

Yes, synthol does get absorbed in your body but this in itself can lead to certain complications. Some patients have had neurological complications leading numbness or even loss of motor ability. In rare cases the oil can infiltrate the blood stream and heart leading to potential deadly results. The most common negative side effect, though, seems to be infections. As seen in extreme cases when “synthol freaks” have such bad infections they need amputation. Yes, that’s an extreme case – but infections are certainly possible on a smaller scale for anyone who uses synthol.

The silver lining here seems to be that Dr. O’Connor truly receives very few patients who use synthol in the first place. While the freaks and the shocking headlines might bring a sense of urgency to the use of these substances – it doesn’t seem to take hold in a major way the same way drugs like steroids or insulin have been adopted into the bodybuilding and fitness world.

Wrap Up

Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka The Anabolic Doc, has an extreme wealth of knowledge that this article can only begin to scratch the surface. That’s why you should check out the full GI Exclusive interview with The Anabolic Doc above. His expertise, advice, and opinions on the world of health and bodybuilding could be a game changer.

Remember – the statements and opinions stated here are not the direct advice of a medical professional. This is general advice backed by research but is in no way meant to be taken as direct medical advice. Always consult your doctor.

About Derek Dufour

Derek Dufour has been managing all digital operations on the Generation Iron Network for over six years. He currently manages a team of editors, writers, and designers to provide up-to-date content across the GI Network.

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